Adjustable switch rod



AugL'lZ. 1941- G. R. BURKHRDT ET Al.

ADJUSTABLE SWITCH ROD 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May l, 1940 w a, M

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 unirsi) STATES` PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SWITCH Ron George R. Burkhardt, Chicago, and Charles W. Breed, Western Springs, Ill.

Application May 1, 1940, `s`eria1N0.332,s14

5 claims. (c1. 24e-451) This invention relates to railway switches, and l has generally in' view to provide an improved means of connecting switch-point rails with switch rods so that small increments of adjustment of the switch-point rails relative to the 5 may be maintained in condition to insure the safe I10 passage of modern, high speed trains therethrough.

It is known to provide adjustable connections between switch-point rails and, switch rods.

However, such adjustable connections,` asfhereto- ,-105

ternati-ve embodiment o-f the invention.

fore provided, have afforded only rough adjustments of the switch point rails relative to the switch rods and not such ne adjustmentsas to compensate for small amounts of wear of the stock rails. Accordingly, a principal object of the 20 and a switch rod so that very small increments of adjustment of the switch-point rai1 relative Ito the switch rod may be effected to insure close disposition of the switch-point rail to the side of the related stock rail when the switc'his closed both initially and as small amounts of wear of the stock rail take place.

tween a switch-point rail and a switch rod which requires the forming of only a single hole in the switch rod.A As compared with prior connections which require the forming of a plurality of holes 15 in the switch rod the present connection there-my fore is exceptionally strong and durable, espel cially respecting any likelihood ofthe switch rod becoming broken due to being weakened byperforation thereof. f i0 With the foregoing and other objects in viewf which will become more fully apparent as'the nature of the invention is better understood, the

m h e e con l sa e consists 1n t e nov l featur s of struc 45 movement for opemng and @105mg the Switch.

tion, combination and arrangement'ofip'arts as will be hereinafter more fully described,v illustrated in the accompanying drawings anddefined in the appended claims.

` In the accompanying drawings, wherein like 5P ycharacters of reference denote corresponding-@fi parts in the different views:

Figure 1 is a transverse section through one of the stock rails and one of the switch-point rails of a railway switch illustratingin section, thel presentimproved means for adjustably connecting'the switch-point rail with the switch rod. Y Figure 2' is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. v

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. `Figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking washer comprising part of the adjustable connec'tion. Figure 5 is an end view of the eccentric washer comprising part of the connection.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.

J Figure' is aview similar to Fig. 1 of the alternative. embodiment of the invention.

4Figure 8 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3 of the al- ,6 withthe locking washer removed.

. Figure 10 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3 of analternative .embodiment of 4the invention.

Referring to .the drawings in detail,.rst with particular reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, Adesignates a stock rail, B designates a switch-point rail,` C

,designates a switch rod, and D designates, generally, the present improved `means adjustably connecting the switch-point rail B with the switch rod C.

1 It willbe understood, of course, that while only Another principal object of the invention is 150,.,3," .Y provide an adjustable connection as stated beV ofthe track, and that the two switch-point rails V,are ,connected together bythe switch rod C for 'unitary actuation. It .will alsoY be. understood 'thatthere is av connection D between the switch rod C and each of the switch point rails so that each. switch-point rail is. adjustable independently of the other relative to the switch rod C.

Furthermore, it will, ofcourse, be understood ,'thatadjustable connections between the switch- 'pointrals and the switch rod are necessitated dueto the switchrod having a xed amount of Thjeswitch rod C extends, as usual, transversely ofthe track beneath the rails and is connected with `the switch point, railthrough the instrumenrtalitynoi" a clip or bracket l0 secured'rigidly to the Switchpoint rail.

In the present instance the clip or bracket I0 ,is of substantially L-shape in side elevation and includes a vvertical armA Il and a horizontal arm 4 l2, the former of which is bolted to the switchpoint rail as indicated, `-at I3 and the latter of switch rod C is a bolt I9 which includes a shank 20 extending through and closely litting the opening I8 and upper and lower, alined disk-like portions 2| and 22 disposed in and closely tting the openings I6 and I1 respectively. The axis of the shank 29 is laterally oiiset with respect to the common axis of the disk-like portions 2| and 22, or, in other words, the shank 20 is eccentrically related to the disk-like portions 2| and 22. Accordingly, assuming that the switch rod C is held against longitudinal movement, litis apparent that by rotating the bolt I9 the switch-point rail B will be adjusted toward or away from the stock rail A depending upon the direction of rotation of the bolt I9, since the bolt I9 withv its disk-like portions'ZI and 22 eccentrically related to its shank 20 provides a crank connection between the clip or bracket II) and the switch rod C.

The lower disk-like portion 22 is in the form of a thick washer formed separately from the bolt I9 and removably engaged with the shank 29 thereof to permit insertion and removal of the shank into and from the opening I8 during assembly and dissembly of the connection D. On the other hand, while the upper disk-like portion 2| also may be formed separately from the bolt I9, it preferably is formed as an integral part of said bolt and carries at its top a head 23 of square or other suitable polygonal shape to be engaged by a wrench'or any other suitable implement for the purpose of rotating Ythe bolt to effect adjustment of the clip or bracket IU longitudinally of the switch rod C.

It is essential that at least one of the disk-like portions 2|, 22 be non-rotatable with respect to the bolt shank 20. If the upper disk-like portion 2| is formed as an integral part of the bolt it is, of course, non-rotatable with respect to the bolt shank. If, on the other hand, the said upper disk-like portion is formed as a part separate from the bolt it may be secured against rotation relative to the bolt shankin any suitable manner. Likewise, the lower disk-like portionv as washer 22 may be secured against rotation relative to the bolt shank in any desired manner, as, for example, by having a non-circular opening 24 therein accommodating a non-circular portion of the bolt shank, as illustrated in the present instance.

When the bolt I9 is operatively engaged with the clip nr bracket I and the switch rod C it is held against downwardl movement by engagement of the lower face of the upper disk-like portion 2| with the upper face of the switch rod C, and against upward movement by engagement of the upper face of the lower disk-like portion or washer 2| with the under face'oi" the switch rod, the said lower disk-like portion orv Aand I'I and the disk-like portions 2| and 22.

In the present instance the bolt head 23 is square and the locking washer 21 has a square hole 3| to accommodate said bolt head, whereby the washer and the bolt are held against rotation relative to each other. The pins or lugs 2B and 29 are disposed equal distances from the center of the washer, but are angularly spaced apart and, moreover, are disposed unsymmetrically with respect to the opening 3|. The washer is 'reversible to dispose either side thereof and, consequently, either pin or lug 28 or 29 thereof, downwardly, and since said pins or lugs are angularly spaced apart and are unsymmetrically related to the opening 3|, it is apparent that when the washer is disposed with one side thereof downwardly and with the pin or lug at the under side thereof in any one of the openings 29 the bolt I9 will be held in a certain position of rotative adjustment, whereas, by reversing the washer to dispose its other side and its other lug downwardly and by engaging the latter lug in the same hole 30, the bolt I9 will be held in a different position of rotative adjustment. This is true with respect to each of the holes 30.

Moreover, the angular spacing of the pins 28 and 29 and of the holes 39 is such that the amount of rotation required of the bolt I9 to permit either pin 28`or 29, by reversal of the washer, to be engaged in any given hole 30, is relatively small. Any small amount of rotation of the bolt I9 corresponds to a small increment of adjustment between the clip or bracket I9 and the switch rod C. It will therefore be apparent that the present connecting means D provides for securing small increments of adjustment between the switch-point rail B and the switch rod C to lnsure close disposition of the switchepoint rail to the side of the stock rail A when the switch is closed, both initially and as wear of the stock rail takes place.

The locking washer 2l may be held removably, reversibly assembled with the head 23 of the bolt I9 in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of a cotter pin 32 inserted through a transverse hole in the bolt head above said locking washer. With reference to this phase of the invention a feature of practical importance is that of disposing the said head 23 of the bolt eccentric to the shank 29 thereof so that the locking device is independent of theV rod, and a reduced num-ber of parts can effectively be utilized to obtain the desired locking action.

By removing the nut 25 from the bolt shank 20 the bolt may be lifted to release the switch rod C for lateral removal from the clip or bracket lthrough the open side of the U-shaped arm I2 thereof, while to connect the switch rod with said clip or bracket I0 the switch rod rst is inserted through the open side of the U-shaped arm I2 to a position between the jaws I4 and I5, the eccentric washer 22 then is inserted in the opening I'I, the bolt I 9 then is inserted downwardly and the nut 25 then is applied to the lower end of the bolt shank. Following the assembly,

the belt is rotated teseeure a ocs'ireofadiustnent of the clip or bracket l t longitudine, ly relativefto the switch rod C and thel'ockng" washer 241Y then is applied to the bolt headwith one side ortho other of the waser disposed, downwardly, depend ing upon which pinftor 29 more neariylaiines with oneor another of1 the holesBi. Olivmsly,v instead or the"arm' l2 being `disL posedfhorizontally, said arm Vmay be disposed vertically to permit the switclirodto be disposed having an opening `li therein, while the switchl rod C', which is disposed with'itsjsides extentie W ing vertically as aforesaid,` instead 'of beirlgA a`c-` commodated iii a U-sliaped arr'nlZ 'as in 'the Figs. 1 to 5 embodiment of the invention, has riveted, bolted or otherwise fined thereto a'bracke't33 having a laterally-'odset U-shaped portion in'- cluding upper and vlclwer .horizontally disposed arms 33 and 35, respectively, between which the arm I2 is accommodated. In the arms 34 and are openings 36 and 31, respectively, which are axially alined and which may be of circular, square, hexagonal, octagonal or other suitable polygonal shape as in the case of the openings I6, I1 and |-8 of the first described embodiment of the invention. In any event, the opening 3G in the arm 34 is of larger diameter than the opening I6 in the arm i2', the opening I6 is larger in diameter than the opening 31 in the arm 35, and the bracket 33 is connected with the arm I2 by a bolt i9 which includes a shank 20 extending through and closely fitting the opening 31 and disk-like portions 3B and 39 disposed in and closely fitting the openings 36 and I6', respectively. The disk-like portion 38 is axially alned with the shank 2li', but the disk-like portion 39 is eccentrically related to the shank and said disk-like portion 3B. Consequently, assuming that the switch rod C is held against longitudinal movement, it is apparent that by rotating the bolt I9 the bracket Ill and the switch point rail to which it is connected will be adjusted toward or away from the stock rail depending upon the direction of rotation of the bolt I9.

The bolt I8 is downwardly insertable into and upwardly removable .from the openings 36, I6 and 31, and when it is operatively applied its portions 38, 39 and 2U are maintained associated with the openingsi, I6 and 31, respectively, because the lower face of the portion 38 rests upon the upper face of the arm l2', the lower face of the portion 39 rests upon the upper face of the arm 35 and because a nut 25 threaded on the lower end portion of the shank 20' holds the bolt against upward movement.

As in the case of the Figs. 1 to 5 embodiment of the invention, a locking washer 21' has a polygonal opening accommodating the polygonal head 23' of the bolt I9 and is provided at one or both sides with a lug 29 to be disposed in any one of a plurality of openings 33 in the arm 34 to hold the bolt I9 in dilerent rotatably adiji-istedjpositiohsi Inother respectsth'e Figs.. 6 to 9 einbodiz'nentoi the invention or may be, 'the sair'leasthe Figs, 1 to fembodiment `ofthe 'inyentionj il' i According tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig, 10 the construction is the same es illustiatedin-rtgs-rte 5, except that the switclfi 1o'cl,'desi'gnate ".as'C-, is in the form oi a pipe or tube of steel or other suitable material instead of solid, rectangular form in cross' section as illustrated ilrtheother embodiments of the' invention. Thev special advantages of the rod C vare that it isllight in weight and, at the same time, esceptionaiiy strengen@ durable. While 'said rodrnight simplybe provided lwith a hole "to'directly accomn. datethe shankl 529e of the `bolt 19a, said rod preferably has inserted in a .transverse hole therein a bushing i0 of Hasc'rome piffother suitable material to aiord a bearing for theshank "Zea from topto bottom of said switch rod. rhe bushing 4t may be secured in the rod C in anysuitable manner as, for example, by being welded thereto as indicated at 4l. In other respects the Fig. `10 form of the invention is, 'as aforesaid, the same to all intents and purposes (as the Figs. ,1 to 5 formiof the invention. It4 will be understood, however, that a tubular switch rod maybe used in a. form of the invention 'as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, or in various other specifically dilrerent forms of the invention.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope or the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Adjustable connecting means between a railway switch-point rail and a switch rod cornprising a bracket secured to the switch-point rail and having an opening therein, a bolt including a disk-like portion disposed in said opening and a shank eccentrically related to said disk-like portion and disposed in an opening in the switch rod, whereby the bracket and the switch point rail are adjustable along the switch rod by rotation of said bolt, a head on the bolt, a locking washer reversibly engageable with said bolt head, means to hold said locking washer against rotation relative to the bolt head, said bracket having a series of spaced apart holes therein arranged in a row concentrically about the axis of the opening in said bracket which accommodates the said disk-like portion of said bolt, and a pin on each side of said washer for selective engagement in any one of said openings, said pins being angularly spaced relative to each other and being disposed unsymmetrically relative to the means for holding the washer against rotation relative to said bolt head.

2. Adjustable connecting means between a railway switch point rail and a switch rod cornprising a bracket secured to the switch-point rail and having an opening therein, a bolt including a disk-like portion disposed in said opening and a shank eccentrically related to said disk-like portion and disposed in an opening in the switch rod, whereby the bracket and the switch point rail are adjustable along the switch rod by rotation of said bolt, a head on the bolt, a locking washer non-rotatably engageable with said bolt head, said bracket having a series .of spaced apart holes therein arranged in a row concentrically about the axis of the opening in said bracket which accommodates the said disk-like portion of said bolt, and a pin on said washer for engagement in any one of said series of holes to hold the bolt in any one of a plurality of different positions of rotative adjustment thereof.

3. An adjustable connecting means between a railway switch-point rail and a switch rod comprising a bracket secured to the switch-point rail and having an opening therein, a bolt including a disk-like portion disposed in said opening and a shank eccentrically related to said disk-like portion and disposed in an opening in the switch rod, whereby the bracket and the switch point rail are adjustable along the switch rod by rotation of said bolt, a polygonal head on the bolt, a locking washer having a polygonal opening therein to accommodate said bolt head, said bracket having a series of spaced apart holes therein arranged in a row concentrically about the axis of the opening in said bracket which accommodates the said disk-like portion of said bolt, said washer being reversible and having a pin on each side thereof for engagement in any one of the holes of said series to lock the bolt against rotation, said pins being angularly spaced apart and being disposed unsymrnetrically with respect to the said polygonal opening in said washer.

4. Adjustable connecting means between a railway switch-point rail and a switch rod comprising a bracket secured to the switch-point rail, a bolt connecting said bracket with said switch rod and having portions eccentrically related to each other and, respectively, engaged with the bracket and the switch rod so that by rotation of the bolt the bracket is adjusted longitudinally relative to the switch rod, said bracket having an arcuate series of spaced apart holes therein concentrically arranged with respect to the portion of the bolt engaged by the bracket, and a locking washer non-rotatably engaged with said bolt and having a pin for engagement in any one of said openings to secure the bolt against rotation in any one of a plurality of positions of rotative adjustment thereof.

5. Adjustable connecting means between a railway switch-point rail and a switch rod comprising a bracket secured to the switch-point rail, a bolt connecting said bracket with said switch rod and having portions eccentrically related to each other and, respectively, engaged with the bracket and the switch rod so that by rotation of the bolt the bracket is adjusted longitudinally relative to the switch rod, a member non-rotatably connected With said bolt, and interengageable means on said member and said bracket for holding said member and said bolt in different rotatably adjusted positions.

GEORGE R. BURKI-IARDT. CHARLES W. BREED. 

